Low-water alarm.



No. 687,445. Patent ed Nov. 26, 190:.

n. c. WALTER. LOW WATER ALARM.

(Application filed Feb. 15, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

lNVENTOR.

WITNESSES:

we norms vsrzns cu. PNOTO-LITNO.. WASHINGTON. 04c

Patented Nov. 26, I901.

2 Sheetg-Shaet 2.

D. C. WALTER.

LOW WATER ALARM.

(Application filed Feb. 15, 1901.)

if Q 23 (No Model.)

WITNES TO Ln'naxwasnmn N a c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID C. WALTER, OF TOLEDO, 01110.

LOW-WATER ALARM SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,445, dated November 26 1901.

Application filed February 15,1901. Serial No. 47,424. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, DAVID C. WALTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Low-Water Alarms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a low-water alarm of the water-column type in which a whistle-valve or other alarm mechanism is operated by the action of a float.

The object of my invention is to avoid the objection heretofore found in this class of alarms where the whistle continues to blow until the water is high enough in the column to close the signalwalve.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby a preliminary signal may be given, which signal may be manuallydisconnected and discontinued, and when the water is pumped up to a point above the preliminary-signal line the preliminary-signal mechanism will be automatically reset ready for future operation.

A still further object of my invention is to furnish, in connection with the preliminarysignal mechanism above mentioned, a simple and practical secondary alarm which will opi erate only when the water has further dropped to a second predetermined line near the danger-point, and which latter alarm cannot be discontinued except by causing the water to rise to a proper height in the boiler. vantage of this arrangement is that should the attendant after having stopped the preliminary alarm fail, through accident, neglect, or failure of the pump or injector, to provide the boiler with sufficient water the signal will again operate and now cannot be stopped save by restoring the proper waterlevel in the boiler.

I attain these objects by the mechanism and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, made part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional elevation of the device minus gage-cocks, water-glass, &c.; Fig. 2, a central vertical sectional elevation of a modified form of the same; and Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are details of parts hereinafter referred to detached, show- The ad ing the parts in different positions during a cycle of operations.

Throughout the drawings on the second sheetlike characters of reference indicate like parts.

In the drawings, A is the water-column, provided with a detachable case B, secured to one side of the column.

0 is the cover, having a downwardly-projecting lug d and a bar e, forming a guide for the end of the rod f, attached to the float g.

h h are vertically-adjustable disks secured to the rod f. These disks engage between them the forked inner extremity of the lever t, which is fulcrumed at i in the case B.

t" is a short-arm extension of lever t'.

J is a tumbler journaled on the fulcrumpin i having a notch in its periphery, and is provided with along arm J and a short arm J.

is a dog mounted upon and pivotally connected, near the fulcrum of lever t', to the said lever, as at 7c.

70 is'a spring secured to levert', pressing the point of the dog 70 into engagement with the notch of the tumbler J. The downwardlyprojecting arm 70 is provided for the purpose of throwing the dog 7c out of engagement with the tumbler J.

Zis a valve-case having a double-seated valve m. One end of the stem of this valve projects into the path of the upwardly-projecting arm of the tumbler J. A hollow plug n, to which the whistle 0 is attached, is screwed into the case B and holds the valve'case Z in place.

P is a detaching-plunger passing through the wall of the case B, the larger inner end of which plunger forms a valve to prevent leakage.

q is a lever pivotally connected to the case B, the short arm being adapted to bear against the outer end of the plunger P.

r is a set-screw projecting into the case B and is for the purpose of arresting and regulating the backward movement of the tumbler-arm J.

The operation of my improved low-water alarm thus far described is as follows: When the water in the boiler is at its normal level, it rises to a corresponding level in the watercolumn. Predetermined points in the waterlevel being located, the float and levels are adjusted to give 'a signal or signals when the water reaches the points designated. The dog 70 being engaged with the tumbler J, when the float lowers, by reason of the water going down, the disks h on the float-rodfcarries the end of lever 1' down with the float, causing the arm J to bear against the stem of the whistlevalve. The valve now admits steam to the whistle, thus giving a signal that the waterlevel in the boiler is now at the upper predetermined line. The attendant should now start his pump or injector to supply water to the boiler and should discontinue the alarm. This is accomplished by apull on a cord attached to lever q. The lever bears against the plunger P, which strikes the downward ly-projecting arm loot the dog, disengaging it from the notch in the tumbler J. Now the steampressure on valve m, assisted by a spiral spring 071., will force the arm J back and will close the valve, thus stopping the signal and the noise of the whistle. Should the water now continue from any cause to go down until the second predetermined water-line is reached,

' the outward extension 2",Which is a part of the main lever 2', will come in contact with the short arm'J of the tumbler J. Again, the

- tumbler-arm-J' will push open the valve m,

' ward motion.

admitting steam to the whistle, now giving an alarm which can only be stopped by the water in the column reaching the first predetermined alarm line or level. As the water in the column rises and carries the float up, and with it raises the inner end of lever i, the up per arm J of the tumbler J comes in contact with. the set-screw 0", which arrests its back- As the inner end oflever 2' continues to rise, the short end of the dog will, when the fioat reaches the safety-line, drop back of the notch in the tumbler J and be ready for a repetition of the above-described operation. 7

In the drawings representing the modified form of my device, S is a detachable case corresponding with the case B in Fig. 1.

tis a bell-crank lever fulcrumed in the case, as at s, the short end of the lever being adapted and arranged to engage a hook or notch u, as at it, formed in the piece 10 which is connected by universal joint 11 with the stem of the valve w. This valve has its seat in the opening leading to the steam-whistle, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2.

w is a hollow plug in which are the valveseat for valve w and openings to convey steam to the whistle. This plug is screwed into the casing s, as shown, and is readily removable and affords convenient means of access to the working parts of the device for inspection, adjustment, renewals, and repairs.

y is a crank having its stub-shaft socketed in the outer extremity of the bore of the plug to. The outer end of the stem of the valve to is socketed in the shaft of the crank y and is movable longitudinally therein,but rotates with the shaft of the crank. This is accomplished by forming a socket y" and the end of the valve-stem angular in cross-section, or by a spline-and-groove connection, or by some equivalent method. The shaft of the crank has a circumferential channel Z, which is engaged by a set-screw Z, which permits the rotation of the crank, but holds the crank in place.

The operation of the modified form here described will be readily understood. As the float descends with the lowering water in the boiler it carries the long arm of the levert downward, causing the short arm of the lever to engage the hook u and to draw the valve n) away from its seat, allowing steam to enter the whistle and to give the first or precautionary signal. To disengage the hook, the crank y is given a quarter-turn, which disengages the hook from the lever. Now the steam-pressure, assisted by the spiral spring w will reseat the valve, which assumes the position shown in Fig. 3. As soon as the crank y is released its weighted end causes the crank to return to its normal position and the hook will now occupy the position shown in Fig. 4. Now if the water in the boiler is raised sufficiently the short arm of the lever t will again engage the hook it, as at to, Fig. 2, thus automatically resetting the device for further operation; but should the water in the boiler from any cause continue to go down the extensions 25 of the short arm of the lever 15, which project on either side of the piece 10*, will come in contact with and will bear against the stop a on the end of the piece w Now the valve is again drawn from its seat and the second or danger alarm is given, indicating that the water in the boiler has reached the lower predeter mined water-level. As the weighted end to of the piece 10 now engaged by the lever t, has a smooth cylindrical surface, there is no means for reseating the valve and discon, tinuing the signal, except by causing a rise of water in the boiler, thus effectually guarding against danger from the lack of a signal.

Further modifications of myinvention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art,

forms here illustrated and described by way of example, for I believe that it is broadly new to provide in a low-Water alarm a precautionary or preliminary signal which may be discontinued at will by the operator and a second or danger signal actuated by the same mechanism, which can only be discontinned by the rise of the water in the boiler to a proper height.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. In a low-water alarm for boilers, a signaling device, mechanism for actuating said signaling device which mechanism is controlled by the descent of the water in the boiler, means for manually disengaging the signaling device from its actuating mechanesmes ism, whereby the signal is discontinued, means controlled by the further descent of the water in the boiler for again engaging the signaling device with its actuating mechanism and again operating the signal, the arrangement being such that the latter signal can only be discontinued by the rise of the water in the boiler.

2. In a low-water alarm for boilers, a signaling device, means for causing said signaling device to announce successively two stages of low water in the boiler, a device for manually discontinuing the signal for the higher of said two stages of water and a device controlled solely by the rise of the water in the boiler for discontinuing the signal for the lower of said two stages of water.

3. In a low-water alarm, a signaling mechanism, a float, means for detachably engaging the float with the signaling mechanism, means for manually disengaging the float and the signaling mechanism, and further means which are non-detachable except by the movement of the float, for connecting said float with the signaling mechanism.

4. In a low-water alarm, a signaling device adapted and arranged to give a first or precautionary signal at a predetermined stage of low water and to give a second or danger signal at a predetermined lower stage of water,

manually-controlled means for discontinuing the former signal, means governed solely by the rise of the water for discontinuing the latter signal, and means controlled by the rise of the water for automatically restoring the parts to the position requisite for giving said first or precautionary signal.

5. In a low-water alarm, a signaling device, a valve controlling the same, a lover, a float arranged to actuate the lever, means for detachably connecting the lever with the valve, means for manually disconnecting the lever and the valve, means controlled by the movement of the lever for automatically renewing said connection and further means which are non-detachable, except by the movement of the lever, for operatively connecting the lever and the valve.

6. In a low-water alarm, a float, a rod carried by the float, a lever engaged with the rod, a signaling device, a valve therefor, means controlled by the lever for actuating the valve, means for manually disengaging the lever from connection with the valve, and further means independent of manual control and governed by the lever, for again actuating the valve.

7. In a low-water alarm, a detachable assembling-case,-an alarm mechanism mounted in and upon said case, a water-column, a float therein, a lever for actuating said alarm mechanism fulcrumed in said case, connected with said float and removable through coincident openings in the adjacent sides of the case and the water-column, and means for de tachably securing said case to the side of the water-column.

8. In a low-water alarm, a water-column, a

float therein, a chambered casing secured to the water-column, a valve in said casing, a lever fulcrnmed in said casing and connected with the float, a detent mechanism on the lever for actuating the valve, and means for releasing said detent comprising a plunger passing through and seated in the wall of said casing and having an enlarged portion inside said casingto form a valve, and a lever outside the casing adapted to actuate said plunger.

9. In a low-water alarm, a float, a lever op eratively connected with the float, a steamwhistle, a normally closed valve for the whistle, a projecting valve-stem for the valve, a tumbler adapted to engage the valve-stem, a projecting portion upon the lever adapted to engage and to actuate the tumbler, a dog pivoted upon the lever and adapted to engage the tumbler in advance of said projecting portion upon the lever, and means for disengaging said dog from said tumbler.

10. In a low-water alarm, a water-column, a float therein, a detachable assembling-case having a chamber in communication with the chamber of the water-column, an alarm mechanism mounted and supported in and upon said case, a removable connection intermediate the alarm mechanism and the float, and means for detachably securing said case to the column, the arrangement being such that solely by the removal of the case the entire alarm mechanism is disconnected from the column and the float, and the interior of the case exposed.

DAVID C. WALTER. In presence of M. D. MERRIOK, L. E. BROWN. 

